Warren Central’s problems against Brandon could be summed up pretty succinctly.

“They hit and we didn’t,” WC coach Dana McGivney said. “Plain and simple. Four hits in a ballgame, not against a team like that, just aren’t going to get it done.”

The defense also committed some costly errors with runners on as the Lady Vikes absorbed a 5-2 loss on Tuesday.

WC ace Andi Hearn took the loss, allowing seven hits and striking out three.

Brandon (3-10) jumped on the board first in the top of the second as Ashley Sistruck ripped an RBI single up the middle.

Down 1-0 in the bottom of the second, the Lady Vikes (9-5) bounced back in what was their only offensive outburst of the game. Shelbi Conerly ripped a two-out single and she later scored as Kaitlyn Patton’s single was compounded by a Brandon throwing error. No. 8 hitter Blair Thornton plated Conerly with a single to put WC up 2-1.

In the third, the Lady Bulldogs threatened with two outs, but Thornton made a spectacular running catch, holding onto the ball despite a knee-to-knee collision with Conerly.

The lead held until the top of the fifth.

April Stevenson reached on an error and Hearn induced a pair of easy pop-ups to put two outs on the board. But pitcher Cassandra Brown lasered a line drive into the outfield to plate the tying run. Candyce Still added another RBI single as the Lady Bulldogs led 3-2.

WC got a runner in scoring position with one out in the bottom of the sixth as Hearn advanced on a walk and took second on a wild pitch. But Brown induced a lineout to short and a routine grounder to escape damage.

Brandon put on some insurance runs in the top of the seventh, as an error plated one run and a sacrifice fly by Still gave the Lady Bulldogs a 5-2 lead going into the bottom of the seventh.

*

Contact Steve Wilson at swilson@vicksburgpost.com.